Rain Affair dominates again in the Apollo

Trainer Joe Pride is expecting many more wins from his sprinting sensational after Rain Affair produced another dominant victory at Rosehill today.

Corey Brown let Rain Affair work to the front in the early stages and from there it was all over.

Brown held Rain Affair together until the 300m where he let him explode and was able to score by two and a quarter lengths in the Group 2 $250,000 Hako Australia Apollo Stakes (1400m).

The Chris Waller trained Shoot Out worked to the line hard to finish second with stable mate Danleigh also doing his best work at the finish for third.

But the race was all about Rain Affair who stretched his winning run to nine after coming off a sensational win in the Group 2 $200,000 TAB Sportsbet Expressway Stakes at Rosehill two weeks ago.

“Yeah it was similar to what we saw from him the other day. Corey let him idle down a bit the last bit of the race. He’s an amazing horse to watch race,” Pride said.

“In the early stages there was bit of work to be done and he didn’t get there that easily.”

“When Corey said go he just left them standing. I trained him up for the 1400m today and that took a little bit of the early speed out of him.”

“The acceleration was there at the end and he is just going to keep winning if he races like that.”

Brown toyed with his opposition and had them all off the bit on the home turn and once he extended the Commands four year old at the 300m it was all over.

Pride said that the Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 10 was his preferred option but is a bit wary because of Rain Affair’s pre-race manners.

“He wasn’t on his best behaviour before the race and I don’t think it’s slowing him down but at the same time if you take a horse away you have the extra added pressure.

“A crowd of 50 to 60,000 people at Flemington might upset him a bit.

“If we didn’t go to Melbourne he’ll have four weeks off and run in the Canterbury Stakes over 1300 metres then he might just go around in the T J [Smith] and the All Aged.”

“The weight-for-age scale suits him.”

Runner up Shoot Out and third placegetter Danleigh showed today that they are not far away from the winner’s stall and as they step up in distance over the carnival the Chris Waller pair will get their chance.

Author: Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.